177th Hunger Games
by leven1313
Summary: President Waldvogel is desperate to find a suitable victor this time around, and so she will push the tributes to their limits. The arena is unlike any she has seen before, and she expects to have no problems. If she does, then it will take her instead. *******SYOT CLOSED*******
1. Prologue

President Sarina Waldvogel strode down the long dark corridor. She seemed to glide down the hallway, hardly even touching the regal, purple carpet beneath her sleek black shoes. Her long black cape swept behind her, casting a shadow wherever she went. Some in the districts were often heard discussing her cape. They thought it was overly showy and exaggerated, but she knew better. It cast a certain aura about her, making her seem more ominous. Her long blonde hair contrasted perfectly with the endless black of her robe.

She turned the corner and pushed open the door to her planning room. The 177th Hunger Games was coming up soon, and she needed to have her plans finalized. Often, the Gamemakers were the ones who designed the arena, but President Waldvogel knew enough engineering and designing to build one herself. And she had been working on these designs for years. She stepped inside and closed the door. As soon as it closed an eerie red light flickered on, illuminating the table with the model of the arena.

The arena looked like a typical forest landscape that was surrounded by a beach. The beach itself was ringed by a small saltwater river that was the edge of the arena. But looks can be deceiving. The arena was actually programed to slowly have the river swell each day until the entire arena was submerged. Hidden around the arena were twelve body suits and underwater breathing systems that could last indefinitely. Only one of the suits would be available in the Cornucopia, and the rest would be scattered around. Those who found the suits would then have and underwater battle that would be unparalleled. The rest if not already dead would drown. Plus, the muttations in the water would be some of the worst, and that was excluding the unaltered, but still dangerous sea-life.

President Waldvogel was pulled out of her thoughts by a drawn-out airy chuckle. The shadow in the corner moved a little closer to her. She suppressed a shudder. She was feared by all in the districts, and she feared no one. No one that is except this abomination. It always loomed in the back of her mind.

"You know the plan," it whispered in a rattling, evil voice. "I expect it to proceed as anticipated."

"You know it will," Sarina said harshly.

"It better," the thing rasped and then coughed, "I need a new host, and your games had better provide me with the best suitable candidate."

"Don't worry," she said, "You will be restored in no time."

"I know. If you don't find me a suitable host, then I'll just take you," it chuckled dryly, a long black tendril caressing her face. She turned away and strode to the door.

"Remember your promise," it hissed, "or else!" Sarina opened the door, stepped out, and shut the door and the black figure out her mind. She collected herself until she felt sufficiently menacing enough and then turned to find the Gamemakers.

**(A/N) Please send all tributes to me via PM. I will not accept them by review. The Tribute form and list will be on my profile, and may the odds be ever in your favor.**


	2. First Four Tributes

**(A/N) Alright, so here's what's going to happen. I am planning on writing the goodbyes for all the tributes. I will complete them in sets of four (the order that I received them). Then I will jump right into the games. I'm not big on all of the other events (reapings, train rides, interviews, trainings, etc.). So here are the first four. I hope you enjoy them. **

**Taig Houser: District 2 Male**

"Yes. Yes! Yes!" Taig pounded his fists on the blue-patterned wall in triumph. He had just volunteered for the 177th Hunger Games. Some puny, pathetic boy had been called up, so he had volunteered. However, Spencer Clara, his arch nemesis had also volunteered. They had both pushed their way through the crowd and had run for the stage. Spencer had been running up the steps, when Taig had reached up and yanked him off the stage. Spencer landed on his face in front of all of District 2. It had been hysterical. Spencer had cursed and then run off before the camera team could get anymore footage. Taig had been declared this year's male tribute.

He was still sauntering around the waiting room, when his parents and sister, Hazel, walked in. His father walked over and roughly clapped him on the back and said gruffly, "Go and win." His mother nodded in agreement. Both their eyes were steely and dark. Taig felt like they had little emotion or feeling left in them, but he would accept this goodbye as he and his parents had a strained relationship. Taig loved to be around girls. He had no problem finding someone to date either, and this infuriated his parents. They thought he should be putting all of his attention and strength into training and not girls. He strongly disagreed, and there had been many screaming matches between the three of them, until finally, his parents gave up and just ignored him. In fact, he was surprised that they had shown up at all. Hazel, on the other hand, was his best friend other than Jose. However, Jose had come down with some sort of sickness. A type of bacteria was eating away at his flesh and as such, he was bed-ridden and couldn't come and say goodbye.

"Make sure you win," Hazel insisted gazing up at him. Taig reached up and ran his hand along the scar on his right cheek. Hazel was only seven, but that hadn't stopped Spencer Clara from picking on her. Taig stood up for her, and he got in a fight with Spencer. When Taig had the upper hand, Spencer became scared and pulled out a switch blade and jammed it in Taig's face. It had punctured his cheek and had left a jagged scar.

"Don't worry," he said, "I will. No one can best me." Just then the peacekeepers came in and announced that time was up.

"See you when you get back home," Hazel whispered and then left the room with her parents. Smiling confidently, Taig turned and looked in the mirror and adjusted his spiky, intermittently black-and-blonde hair. He was heading to the Capitol to become a victor. He needed to look perfect for all the press.

**Tanner Grover: District 7 Male**

Pushing his shaggy, brown hair out of his face for the umpteenth time, Tanner turned to face the door as Ariel, his girlfriend, walked in. He couldn't help but admire her startlingly green eyes and perfect hair. She was perfect for him, and he was perfect for her. He ran over to her and embraced her, holding her close, so he could smell the lavender perfume she was wearing.

"I'm so scared for you," Ariel whispered, pulling back and gazing up into his eyes.

"Don't worry," he said, "I've been working hard for years. I'm stronger than anything the other Districts or the Capitol can throw at me. I'll be back in no time, and then you can live with me."

"What?" she asked confused.

"You heard me. I want to live with you. I want to be with you. I want you to marry me. I'll be self-sufficient at that point and will be able to support you. So what do you say?"

"You promise you'll come back," she inquired.

"Of course."

"Then, Yes! Yes, I want to marry you," she exclaimed. Tanner pulled out a small and simple, yet beautiful diamond ring.

"This was my mother's wedding ring," he said, "and now I want you to have it." Tanner's mother had been helping with the logging, when a stray tree had fallen and crushed her. He would never forget that day, or the horror that he had felt, but now he had something positive to look forward to.

"I'll be waiting," Ariel replied as she walked to the door with a bounce in her step, much happier than when she had entered.

Next, his father and little brother Oren walked in. This had been Oren's first reaping, and he had been terrified. Tanner hadn't worried though. The chances of Oren being picked had been slim, and even if he had been chosen, Tanner had already decided that he would volunteer for him. And yet, despite the fact that Oren wasn't chosen, Tanner still was heading to the games.

"Be safe," Oren cried as he hugged Tanner.

"Cheer up, Munchkin," he laughed patting Oren's shoulder, "You know I'll win."

"Don't be giving him false hope," his father said sharply

"It's not false hope," Tanner retorted, "It's the truth. You have never really believed in me, but now you'll have to, when I come back."

"Watch your temper, son. It will be dangerous in the games, if you let it flare up so quickly," his father replied. Oh, he was so aggravating. Why couldn't he just learn to keep his mouth shut when he had unwelcome advice?

"Shut up!" Tanner screamed, "I don't need your help or your advice." Standing up, he was six inches taller than his father. He pushed his father out into the hallway, said goodbye to Oren, and then slammed the door. He was going to prove his dad wrong. He slouched down on the couch fuming. How had such a great day turned out so poorly in just a few minutes?

**Sepuin Hassel: District 4 Male**

Sepuin sunk into the faded sapphire blue couch. He knew his family wouldn't come and visit him. His parents and younger brothers (both 8 years old) were visiting the Capitol. His dad had a lot of money, and to celebrate the upcoming Hunger Games, they were going to tour one of the older games. This meant they would visit the arena, see the killings, and even meet Caesar Flickerman. He wasn't jealous. He was simply annoyed. His family was never home, and since today was the reaping, he thought they should have been there for him.

He shouldn't have been reaped. Someone always volunteered in District 4, but the centennial fishing competition was coming up, and so all of the older boys and girls were staying home so they could compete. He had actually been out on the ocean himself this morning. He didn't have any friends, except for the sea. He had been hunting a great white shark which was passing through. He knew that if he caught it, he would win for sure. But now there would be no fishing contest for him. He was heading to the Capitol to die. Not to say that he wasn't skilled. He was actually quite talented with spears and tridents, which he learned to use over years of fishing alone. The problem was that careers didn't like younger tributes, as they felt that younger careers were weak and made the alliance vulnerable.

Running his hands through his wavy blonde hair, Sepuin realized that he would just have to start his own alliance. He was tough and could fight well. In fact, he had been out swimming one day when a marlin attacked him. It left a gash in his side that had remained as a scar, but he had fought it bare handed and ended up beating it senseless. If he could best a several hundred pound fish in the water, he could definitely beat a few weaklings. He would just team up with some of the weaker tributes, use them to beat the careers, and then he would dispose of his alliance, leaving him as the sole victor. He smiled, knowing now that he could win.

**Leilani Cascade: District 4 Female**

As Leilani's family left the waiting room, her father's parting words still echoed: "Do your best. I won't settle for less." And she knew it was true, too. Her father was one of the richest fishermen in the District. He caught some of the most dangerous and rare fish, and he always strove for perfection. Her mother was quiet and reserved, and she assisted the fishermen by repairing the nets with expert speed and skill. Honestly though, the one Leilani would miss the most was her brother Keoni. He was twenty years old and had helped her train for the games. Sure, she had been enlisted in a training academy for years, but he had started helping her even earlier and still helped her perfect her weaker skills. One of which was the trident. It was pathetic, she knew. She lived in a fishing district and couldn't use a trident. Keoni never let her forget it and had her practice every day, though she didn't improve much.

As the door opened again, she pushed her chocolate blonde (strands of both blonde and dark brown) hair behind her ear. She was of Hawaiin descent. Hawaii was supposedly an island that people lived on before the Dark Days. She knew she was beautiful, but she never tried to impress others, especially since she was always in the water with her friends.

Tressa, Kale, and Quinton walked in smiling and congratulating her all at once.

"Whoa, slow down you guys are too much," Tressa said pausing in her own congratulations and turning to face Kale and Quinton.

"Sorry," Kale smirked, "I just can't help but celebrate for my little Lani." Kale was eighteen and the son of a Victor. He was a daredevil and loved to perform risky stunts, especially in the ocean. The only reason he hadn't volunteered this year was because of the centennial fishing competition. This was too bad as he was an expert with a sword and would have made a great ally.

"Call me 'Little Lani' one more time and see what I do," Leilani smiled sweetly at him.

"Little Lani," he drawled, "What are you gon—" he was cut off when Leilani had jumped forward and wrapped her arm around his neck. He was quickly on the ground in a headlock. Leilani couldn't be beat when it came to hand-to-hand combat.

"Calm down you two," Quinton chuckled, staring at Kale who despite his struggles could not gain the upper hand. Quinton was the Mayor's son and a class clown. He was often the one who had to calm the other three down. He gave Leilani a knowing smile. He thought she had a thing for Kale, but that was preposterous. Kale was too arrogant and flirtatious. Smirking up at him, she swung her legs out catching both him and Tressa and knocking them to the floor. Then she stood up and bowed.

"Yep, I'd say you're ready," Quinton laughed.

"I just know you're going to do great," Tressa said, "and Happy Birthday! I'm glad you got your wish and were able to volunteer."

"Thanks guys. I plan on winning. I mean, come on. Did you see who our other tribute is? Sepuin will be an easy kill," Leilani said. Her friends laughed in agreement. Her friends were truly the best. They were a bunch of jokers, but they could all be deadly in a fight. They were always hanging out at the beach together. They were all competitive surfers, and each would claim they were the best. Just then a peacekeeper came in and said, "Time's up."

When he turned back around, Tressa stuck her tongue out at him. Then she turned to Leilani and slipped a hair comb with a beautiful pink shell on it into her hand.

"Happy Birthday," she repeated and then ran out after the others.

**(A/N) I hope you enjoyed it. Please vote on the poll, and if anyone hasn't submitted a tribute, please do. There are still some spots open. Thanks to those that have already submitted to and followed my story. **


	3. Tributes Four through Eight

**(A/N) I have just finished all of my EOC and AP Exams, and I'm really excited. I'll try and update as often as I can. So here's the second set of tributes. **

**Naiomi Caraseen: District 5 Female**

Naiomi darted around the waiting room touching the paneling of the walls, rubbing her cheek along the blue, velvet curtains, and staring in amazement at the crystal chandelier. She was kind of excited. She hated the Capitol and the Hunger Games, but still she had never been in such a luxurious place. She was only thirteen, and she had lived her entire life in poverty. She began jumping up and down of the lilac sofa, her blonde, shoulder-length hair bouncing with each spring off the cushion, when her family walked in.

"Naiomi, please stop acting like a hooligan. You're already embarrassing me," Terphine said exasperated. Terphine was her older sister. She was eighteen and Lana, her other sister, was fifteen. Neither one of them really got along with her. Even though they didn't hate her, they definitely didn't even consider volunteering for her after her name was called.

"Yes, dear. Please behave yourself," her mother stared at her disapprovingly. Naiomi's parents had always wanted a boy, and after both Lana and Terphine were born, Naiomi was their last chance. Naiomi felt as though they were disappointed in her. She stuck out her tongue at Terphine and then got down from the couch.

"I just wanted to enjoy the perks of traveling to the Capitol while I can," she whined.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you," her father said with very little sympathy, "but you need to make the best of it and try not to disrespect us or the district."

"Fine," she yelled," but when I die, you'll be sorry you said that. Peacekeepers!" Two peacekeepers rushed in. "Remove them," she said, "I don't want to see them again." She turned away as her family was led out each with a look of pity, but not necessarily for her. She slumped down on the couch, which had just a minute ago been a source of happiness. Her family had betrayed her to the loathsome Capitol. She also knew her friends Garrett and India wouldn't be in to visit her. She had sold them out yesterday to try and get with the "in" crowd. The three of them had been best friends, and when she had betrayed them, they had been hurt and wouldn't speak to her.

"What a way to begin the end," she muttered to herself.

**Thalia Erwin: District 2 Female**

Thalia smirked as she replayed the events of the reaping over again. Some wimp of a girl had been called up by the over-the-top escort, when Thalia volunteered. She ran up and pushed the girl, Jubileena, off the stage. She heard her leg snap and gasped putting a hand to her mouth as though she felt surprised and upset. Really, she was quite happy that the girl was in pain. She loved watching other writhing in agony. However, she couldn't let the sponsors or other tributes know this. She wanted to enter the games as the underdog career. She would let the others take charge before swiftly and viciously ending their lives.

Snapping out of her reverie, she adjusted her ponytail. It always had to be just right. She gathered her long blonde hair and shifted it over to the right side of her head. She had to keep her ponytail on the side of her head in order to ensure maximum vision and maneuverability when she fought. She was very petite and short; however, she actually had a good amount of muscle and was surprisingly strong. Looks could be deceiving, and Thalia had learned to use that as an advantage at a very early age. Just then her mother walked in. She had come alone as Thalia had no siblings and her father was a peacekeeper. As such, he was very busy on reaping day trying to maintain control of the excitement or anger depending on the district. He was very fierce and had been sent to district eight since there were reports that they were fairly unruly.

"Hey, Thalia," her mother said running a finger down her cheek, "I am so proud of you. You're going to do wonderfully." Her mother was a senior trainer at the career gym. As a result, Thalia received a lot of one-on-one training at home, and she was in top shape. Her mother had taught her many ways to kill someone without any weapons, as well as how to survive out in the wild, so she wouldn't be helpless like many of the careers if their supplies ran out or were destroyed.

"I owe it to you," she replied, "And when I return, you can retire, and we can go and tour all of the old games, just like you wanted."

"I'll be waiting," her mother said, and Thalia knew she meant it. They hadn't spent hours upon hours honing her skills just to have her lose. Her mother expected her to come home a Victor. Of course, Thalia, herself, didn't plan on anything else either.

**Dixie Selkirk: District 12 Female**

Dixie braced herself for when the escort came to get her and tried to hold back the tears. She didn't know what to do. She had just been reaped for the 177th Hunger Games with no hope of winning. She was good at taking care of herself and was fairly physical, but not combatively. But she wasn't worried about herself. She was worried about her older sister Grey. Grey was twenty-five, but she had been born without legs, and her family had never had enough money to provide the finances needed to get prosthetic limbs. What made things worse was that Dixie's parents had died four years ago. The Care home had refused to take Grey in, so it was up to Dixie to take care of her. She had often had to steal (or borrow as she liked to think of it, since she hoped to pay them back one day) from the affluent in the district, in order to care for the two of them.

She had no idea what Grey would do without her, but there was no time or opportunity to get back to the house. Grey couldn't get around very well, and would most likely starve on her own. Just then, Dixie heard commotion outside. She opened the third story window and looked down to the entrance of the building she was in to see Grey. She had seemingly dragged herself all the way to town in the family's old, battered cart.

"I'm Dixie's sister," Grey was yelling at a peacekeeper, "You have to let me in."

"I'm sorry," he replied, "but you were not at the reaping and therefore are denied access to the tribute's room."

"Please, just let me see her."

"You need to back up, ma'am, or I will be obligated to use force." Seeing that the peacekeeper wouldn't budge, Grey tried to quickly roll past him. Without warning, he pulled out his gun and shot her in the chest. The blow sent Grey reeling out of the cart, where she sprawled on the pavement. Blood was pouring out of the ugly hole in her chest.

"Grey! NO!" Dixie yelled. Grey's eyes flickered up to the window, and she mouthed "I love you" before her eyes went blank, and she was no more. Dixie cried, letting her tears slide down her face where they fell to the ground far below and onto her sister's body. This was only the first of many deaths she would be forced to endure.

**Talon Rankine: District 12 Male**

Talon glared at the wall. He would have no visitors coming to see him. His father was the mayor, and he had to deal with cleaning up after the reaping. Talon would be long gone by the time that was over. His mother had died a long time ago, and he had no friends. He didn't really mind though. He hated the human species. He had learned in school that humans had evolved from apes, and honestly he thought that they would have been better if they had stayed apes. No one he had ever met deserved to live at all.

In order to make up for this injustice, he took it upon himself to make everyone's lives miserable. He often spent his afternoons in the Seam, as his father was never home. He loved to roam the streets to find weaklings to pummel. In fact, Dixie, the girl who was reaped today was one of his favorite victims. She was always lurking in alleyways, trying to avoid others, but he made sure that she didn't escape. He had probably beat her up more times than everyone else combined. Several times she had left with what could have been broken bones. But there was no reason for him to care. Dixie, or anyone else for that matter, didn't deserve to be happy. The world was cruel, and mankind was stupid. Talon's father never knew what he did. He just provided him with money as a replacement for the time they never got to spend together. Talon turned around and used this money to torment others. He would offer it to starving children in the Seam, wait until their faces lit up, and then take it back and leave. He loved hearing their cries and begging as he took the cash back. They were pathetic.

Being eighteen, he was one of the oldest in the games. He was also very tall and muscled, so he had a very good chance of winning. He would ruthlessly seek out any- and everyone and murder them slowly. His favorite weapon was a knife, but only after it had been dulled. He didn't like clean cuts. Instead, he enjoyed the way dull blades would exacerbate the pain the other tributes would feel. He hoped to draw out the most animalistic screams, since that's what they all were. Animals.

**(A/N) I hope you liked the second batch of tributes. I definitely had fun writing about them. Thank you to all those who already submitted. For those that haven't, there are still six spots left. Also, please let me know what you think and review, and vote on the poll (which is new).  
**


	4. Third Set of Tributes

**(A/N) I have really enjoyed writing this story. The array of tributes is spectacular. I can't choose a favorite. Also, I have been listening to Eurovision songs, while writing the story. That makes it fun as well. Anyway, here are the next tributes.**

**Kestrel Pine: District 1 Male**

Kestrel lounged around the small, cramped room. He was waiting on his parents to come and say goodbye. Of course, he had volunteered to be in the games, but he thought that the Capitol should be treating him better. The room was too small and smelled musty. He was supposed to be living first class, and these were certainly not top-notch accommodations.

Kestrel had been training for years but not with the majority of District 1 competitors. He lived out in poor side of town. There weren't very many in District 1 in poverty due to their professions. However, there were a dozen or so families that did not have steady jobs, and Kestrel's family was one of those. He never went to bed hungry, but he definitely didn't go to bed with a full stomach.

To occupy his time, he often spent time training with Opal and Xeric, two of the other kids in the poverty-stricken neighborhood. They had limited supplies, but Xeric had swiped a few weapons from the District's Training Center. He had gotten a mace, a sword, and an archery set. He had taken the sword and Opal had claimed the mace, which left Kestrel with the bow and arrow. It wasn't a typical career weapon, but he had become quite adept with it. He had recently learned how to knock two arrows at once and hit both targets. He was very proud of his skills, but he refused to let his parents know. If they found out about his skills, they would insist that he hunt for the family. But he wanted to continue training, so he kept his abilities secret to everyone except Xeric and Opal.

Pacing around the room, he thought back to the reaping earlier that day. He was supposed to be entering the arena with Opal, but some dimwit girl named Emmalynn volunteered and reached the stage first. She was always cheerful, and it got on Kestrel's nerves. He couldn't believe he would have to put up with her for the next couple of weeks. Of course he would ally with her and the rest of the careers, but when they disbanded, she would be the first one he would kill.

"Kestrel," his mother said softly, jolting him out of his thoughts. He hadn't heard his parents come in.

"Yes," he replied.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you. I wish we would have had the money to send you to the Training Center. You are at a severe disadvantage now. Just try to ally with the other careers and use their knowledge to win," Hawk, his father, said.

"Of course," he said, thinking to himself about how his parents would react when they saw his true talent. They would be so proud, but he couldn't let them know yet, so he just let them leave with a simple goodbye.

**Nergis Gorog: District 3 Female**

Nergis pushed a lock of her vibrantly red hair behind her ear. She adjusted her glasses and then looked down at the big book of plants. She loved to read and had done so for years. Her peers at school thought she was weird. They much preferred being active (whether physically or by using electronics) to studying, but Nergis had always found a thrill in reading. Her parents were fairly wealthy, and they had accumulated a large number of books. In fact, they had the largest library in all of District 3, but no one could know. The Capitol decreed that no household could have more than 15 books. This was of course to limit the information that could be gathered that would allow citizens to think more openly. But Nergis' parents had defied the Capitol and had a good number of books under the floor of their bedroom. Nergis just had to be careful to only bring a few books out in public, so people wouldn't get suspicious.

She looked up from her book when the door opened up, and her family crowded in. Nora, Naiad, Nystra, Noah, Neelah, and Naquer followed her parents across the room, and all eight of them gave her a big group hug. She had a large family, which was unusual in the district as it was hard to support a large number of kids, but Nergis loved the big family because they were one big support group. An island of happiness in a sea of misery.

"Good luck," Neelah said.

"I know you'll do great," Nystra added.

"Just remember what I taught you with the knife," Naquer encouraged. Little Naiad rushed over and wrapped her arms around Nergis' legs and said, "I love you."

"Thanks guys. It means a lot to have your support and confidence."

"Here, Sweetie," her mother said handing her a golden necklace in the shape of a large cursive N. It was her mother's prized possession. She had received it from her mother, Nymph, and had worn and cherished it. In fact, that's why all of the children's names started with "n".

"Every time you look at this, know that we are all thinking of you," her mother said.

"Thank you," Nergis whispered, trying to hold back tears, "I will." Each member of the family gave her one more hug and then filed out of the room at the peacekeeper's order.

**Emmalynn "Emma" Audrey: District 1 Female**

Emmalynn or Emma as she preferred to be called watched as her family walked out of the room. She wasn't sad to see them go as she knew that she would be returning. Ever, her youngest sister, turned around and smiled as the door swung shut. Emma blew her a kiss even though she knew that Ever couldn't see her. But now that her family was gone, she would have to change the way she thought. It was time to become sly and bloodthirsty, both traits which she was well accustomed. Emma was born in a Capitol-loving family, and consequently had begun training at a very early age. At the age of four, she could hit the target every time with a dagger, and by the age of eight, she had moved on to a sword. She was a skilled swordsman, which was partly due to the fact that her father was the Head Peacekeeper of the district. He had taught her until she had become better than he was. She had always wanted to volunteer for the Hunger Games, but now more than ever. Last year, she met the love of her life Bae Cassidy. But then on her fifteenth birthday, he was reaped, and since no one volunteered, he was sent into the games. He made it fairly far into the games since he was an excellent marksman with a spear. He had outlasted the volcanic eruption that had killed a good number of the tributes, and he bested the snake muttations. Unfortunately, when it was down to the final six, he was brutally stabbed in the back (both literally and figuratively) by Jewel, the other tribute from District 1. Jewel had gone on to win the games, and returned home to congratulations from everyone except Emma. Emma had never forgotten Bae and had never forgiven Jewel. Every time she saw her in town, her blood boiled, and she had to work hard to suppress the rage that she felt. So now, she had to win more than ever. Not just for herself or her family, but for Bae.

No one else knew this except Diamond, her sister. Diamond was her best friend. They often talked late into the night about any and everything. They strategized and planned out game scenarios so that each would be prepared for anything that they met in the arena (both had intended on volunteering). And now all of that training and practice would pay off.

Bored, she walked to the door and rapped on the frame. The door opened and a peacekeeper stood there. Before he could say anything, she pulled him in and kneed him in the stomach, grabbing his gun at the same time. As he bent over in pain, she rammed the butt of the gun into his head, knocking him unconscious. The other peacekeeper rushed in with his gun raised, but Emma ducked to the floor, spinning in a circle. At the last minute she kicked her legs out, hitting the peacekeeper's legs and sending him sprawling to the ground. Jumping up, she ran over to him, delivering a punch to the kidneys, the jugular, and finally the head. He was out cold and would probably require medical attention. She was definitely ready for the games.

**Arachne Spinnerin: District 8 Female**

Arachne stared at herself in the silver-framed mirror. She was thin and gaunt, with sunken hollow eyes. Her long, black hair fell to her waist and didn't quite cover the scar that ran perpendicularly to her mouth. She looked "quite disturbing" as her brother once said. Of course, he never said anything like that again. She had made sure of it.

One night, when her parents and brother were asleep, she crept down to the kitchen and retrieved the butcher knife. She slunk into her brother's room and stabbed him in the throat. He woke up but couldn't scream as she had severed his vocal cords. He just made an odd gurgling noise as blood poured out of his neck. He looked up at her, his eyes pleading, but she just stared at him blankly, neither smiling nor frowning as moonlight illuminated her face from the small window above the bed. She stabbed him again and again until he finally died. His bed was a sea of blood, and she left the knife planted in his forehead. Then she headed back to bed. The next day, her parents woke her up with their screams. She walked down the hall in her long, white nightgown and stared at her parents. When they turned to her in fear, she flatly stated, "I had a vision. He was going to kill me. So I got him first." Then she turned and headed back to her room.

Her parents had been horrified and afraid that she might kill them, so they abandoned her. Her father took her out, deep into the woods. Then he left her there without food or other provisions. But she didn't need either one of her parents. She could provide for herself. The first thing she did was look for food. She found a rabbit, crept up on it, and grabbed the unsuspecting creature. Then she tore off its head with her mouth. She quickly grew accustomed to the forest, and Reaping Day was the first time she had come out of the forest in years. She had been taken off the records of the Captiol after her parents pronounced her dead. When she showed up for the reaping and volunteered, she saw the confusion in everyone's eyes as no one knew who she was. But when she spotted her parents, it wasn't confusion she saw. It was utter terror. They had thought they would never see her again. But she would show them. She would win the games, and they would be sorry they never loved her. She would invite them over to her Victor's house, and she would pretend to apologize. Then she would take revenge. Her true victory would be their demise.

Naturally, she had no visitors, so she crept over to the door and listened to the guards outside. When she heard that the escort was coming, she quickly backed away from the door and turned to the wall. Using barely visible handholds, she scuttled up the wall and up to some piping near the ceiling. The door opened, and the gaudy escort walked in. Seeing no one, the escort walked farther into the room, and Arachne hung her knees around the pipes and silently swung down so that she was dangling upside down at the escort's eye level. When the escort turned around, Arachne smiled menacingly and said, "Hi."

**(A/N) The tributes that everyone sent in are great. I've enjoyed each and every one of them. Please let me know what you think and make sure to vote in the poll. **


	5. Fourth Set of Tributes

**(A/N) Hey everyone. I hope you enjoy these next few tributes. I know I did. Please vote in the polls. I post a new one every time I add new tributes. I would really appreciate knowing what you think of them. Enjoy!**

**Patchouli "Patch" Levi: District 8 Male**

Patch sat alone in the waiting room. He knew that his parents wouldn't be coming to see him, as they thought he was dead. He had mixed feelings about today's reaping. He hated the Capitol and the Games, and yet he volunteered in order to escape the hands of his cruel captors. At least this way, he had a chance. If he won, Pistol could never mess with him again.

When Patch was younger, he lived with his parents and siblings in a rundown area of District 8. Many people knew about the Morphling addicts in District 6, but the area that Patch lived in was just as bad, though hardly anyone knew about it. His mother, Lint, and his father, Fabric, both worked in the factories all day, leaving Patch and his two older siblings, Cotten and Lacey, home along. Despite the two jobs, the family was destitute, and so the three children took to stealing. It was all going well until the day Lacey was caught. She had stolen a loaf of bread from the bakery, when a Peacekeeper walked over and saw her. He arrested her and had had her executed publicly. Patch was distraught. He was only eight years old, and he couldn't believe that these men could be so cruel as to kill a starving child.

But Patch wasn't the only one affected by her death. Both of his parents took her death badly. His mother spiraled down into depression, hardly ever talking to anyone, and she often stayed up late into the night crying. His father became over-protective. He refused to let either Cotten or Patch out of the house. He saved up what little he made and bought a padlock, which he placed on the only door to the house. Patch and Cotten were prisoners inside their own home. However, one day, Patch was able to mess with the lock after his father got home. He rigged it to look like it was locked, when really the door could be pushed open. When his father went to work the next day, Patch sprung the lock and ran outside to go play with the other children. But instead of finding children, he found a ruthless gang of drug dealers. Afraid that he might rat them out, they kidnapped him.

He was taken back to their hideout and forced to do all sorts of chores. Then the men started having him deliver the drugs or provide distractions when other gangs were around. He had nearly been killed several times. Then when he was 13, he was delivering drugs, when a Peacekeeper saw him. He was running away from the Peacekeeper and ran into Cotten. Cotton helped him elude his pursuer, but Pistol, the leader of the gang, found him and shot Cotten for trying to help Patch escape. Once again, Patch had to endure a sibling's death. He would never forget the bullet hole in Cotten's head, or the blank expression he had on his face.

Patch was taken back to the hideout and was kept under tighter security. Of course, his prisoners had to let him go to the reaping, but they never imagined he would volunteer. Patch snapped out of his thoughts as the door opened. It was Pistol. Patch's blood ran cold as Pistol pulled out a knife.

"You thought you could pull a fast one on me. Huh?" Pistol glowered, "But I know just what you're gonna do. You're gonna tell the whole freakin Capitol about us, so that you can get your revenge. But I have another idea." He rushed towards Patch with the knife, and Patch called for help. Two Peacekeepers rushed in to try and subdue Pistol, but he expertly evaded their attempts. He slashed the first Peacekeeper's throat and then buried the blade in the other's head. But before he could turn back around, Patch picked up the umbrella that was by the door and stabbed Pistol's neck. The pointy end skewered his neck and ripped his throat out. Blood gushed out, and Pistol fell to the ground lifeless. Patch kicked his dead body and said, "You're right. I'm going to tell everybody. But thanks for coming, so I could get my personal revenge." Patch was no longer an innocent little boy.

**James "Jami" Pulley: District 6 Female**

Jami sat feverishly folding the stack of paper next to her. She was an expert at origami, and had made literally hundreds of folded paper cranes. Her family had just left, and her older sister, Riana, had brought her the paper. When Jami was younger, Riana had told her about an old superstition that if you fold a 1000 paper cranes, you get a wish that will come true. She was so close to completing this task, and knew that she needed to finish the final twenty before the escort came.

Jami was not lady-like in any way, shape, or form. She was a tomboy and loved doing risky things. Her family was very well-off, and so she had whatever she wanted at her disposal. She juggled, painted, cooked exotic dishes, and rode a unicycle. However, she was never content. She hated the Capitol, and since she loved disobey them, she often went hunting. She didn't need or want the food. She just loved the exhilaration of breaking the rules. She had been out hunting so many times that she knew how to use a bow and arrow, a blow gun, and a regular gun (with a silencer of course).

Suddenly, she heard the click of the escort's shoes coming down the hallway, and she quickly finished folding the last crane. Number one thousand. She wished that she could come out victorious in these games and then tucked the little crane inside her jacket pocket. The door opened, and the escort strode in. She looked disgustedly at Jami in her tattered beige jacket and ripped jeans. Eyeing Jami's dirty, blonde hair, the escort clucked her tongue disapprovingly.

"I can't believe that District 6 has no pride. I can't wait until I get moved to a better district. You know—." She stopped abruptly as she saw the pile of cranes sitting on the sofa.

"You horrible child. You know that origami isn't allowed outside of the Capitol. It is a luxurious art form not to be defiled by the filthy hands of those who don't know what they're doing." She walked over and crushed all of paper birds. Jami just stared up at her with an amused expression.

"Oh, stop staring at me like that you filthy animal," the escort said and then marched back out of the room. Jami followed, smiling to herself as she felt the paper crane inside her pocket.

**Archie Thwaites: District 11 Male**

Archie practiced his theater voice, while he waited for his visitors. He knew from his reading that having sponsors was key to winning the games. There were hardly ever victors that hadn't received at least some aid from sponsors. Having a good personality and speaking well during his interview would greatly improve his chances at getting some. He was a die-hard theater fan, and was very good at acting, so he knew if he played his cards right, he would get some sponsors without any trouble. He turned to the door as Bobby, his best friend and fellow Thespian, walked in.

"I'm so sorry that this happened to you. You just have the worst luck," Bobby lamented. It was true. When Archie was six, he was in a terrible accident that mangled his left arm. Since his father was the Mayor, they had decent health care, but after the doctors had done all that they could, Archie was still left with a crooked arm that didn't always function properly. Then, when he was eleven, some bullies were picking on a smaller boy, and Archie tried to intervene. This backfired, and the bullies just pulled out a knife and slashed him from his shoulder down to his waist. He was gutted like a fish and almost died. Luckily, Paul, another one of his friends, and Bobby, the boy he had saved, rushed him over to Paul's house. Paul's mother was a healer, and she saved his life. He had lost so much blood that he almost didn't make it. However, due to her expertise and a blood transfusion from both Bobby and Paul, Archie was able to survive, but he still had a long scar running down his body. The one good thing that had arisen from the situation was Bobby. He and Bobby were now close friends, and each was forever grateful for the other.

"It's alright," he told Bobby, "I will use everything to my advantage, so I can win."

"Like what?" Bobby asked.

"I'll play up my arm to make myself look weak, so I won't be a prime target. My theater skills will obviously come in handy, as I can dupe the other tributes. I've played enough sports and stayed fit, so the physical aspect won't be as taxing. And I have a lot of knowledge from my reading that I can put to good use. Don't worry, I'm not trying to be arrogant, I just know that I do have a large advantage. If I use wisdom, I have a real shot at winning."

"Well, I wish you to best of luck," Bobby said, "Break a leg." And with that he left, trying to hold back his tears. Archie on the other hand had just gained a lot of confidence thanks to his friend.

"Bobby," he whispered, "you may have just saved my life, again."

**Emmanuel Curtzy****: District 11 Female**

Emmanuel fought back tears as her family came in. Well, it was just her mother and sister. Her father couldn't be bothered to come. But Emmanuel was glad. He was a cruel, evil man who beat her mother. Neither she nor Rebekah, her sister, dared say or do anything that might upset him, as he flew off the handle at least once a day. In fact, Emmanuel had been slapped for "talking back to him" one time. She had had an ugly bruise that lasted for days.

She shook the dark thoughts of her father out of her head and turned to Rebekah and her mother. Their family was of Native American descent, and as such all three of them had copper skin, frizzy, black hair, and amber eyes. Now that she and Rebekah were older, they looked almost the same as their mother. Of course, Emmanuel did have one distinguishing feature. The scar on her forehead set her apart. She had gotten it one day while in the orchards. She and Rebekah were up in one of the trees, and Emmanuel couldn't take it anymore. She had just witnessed a little boy being whipped for trying to eat one of the apples he had picked. He couldn't have been more than six years old. She had always hated the Capitol, but had tried to keep quiet. However, after the whipping, she burst out into a rant. Rebekah had tried to cover her mouth and shush her, but her momentum caused Rebekah to reel forward and hit Emmanuel, who fell out of the tree and gouged her forehead on a rock.

"Good luck," her mother said, "We'll be routing for you."

"Thanks," she said, "Please take care of each other. Don't let dad get the better of you."

"We'll make sure," Rebekah said, "You just worry about you. You'll need to stay focused." The three of them talked for a few more minutes, and then the Peacekeeper said time was up. As they left, Emmanuel stared at Rebekah's back trying not to dislike her. They had always been close, and when Emmanuel's name was called at the reaping, she had hoped that Rebekah, who was older and stronger, would volunteer for her. Unfortunately, she hadn't. Emmanuel knew it wasn't her fault, but still had to try and contain that anger and disappointment that she felt. She knew Rebekah was right. She would need to stay focused. If she did, she could win the games, and the three of them could move away from her father. She would have a happy family again.

**(A/N) Thank you so much for reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. Please vote in the poll and comment. I would like to know what you think of the characters. Even if you haven't commented on the previous chapters, you can go back and do so now. It would mean a lot to me to know what you think. Also, just a reminder that after the tributes are all introduced, I will go right into the games, so make sure that you pay attention to them as you won't see all of them again (as some will die in the bloodbath). Thanks, and I'll talk to you next time. **


	6. Fifth Set of Tributes

**(A/N) Sorry it's been a little while since the last update. I figured summer would be a little less chaotic than the school year. And it has, but not by much. I'm leaving on vacation at the end of June, and I won't have computer access. So, hopefully, I'll get the last tribute chapter posted before I leave, and when I come back at the end of July, I can start the games. Anyway, enjoy the next four tributes.**

**Zoey "Zo" Stark: District 7 Female**

Zoey frowned as the smell of alcohol wafted into the room. Her father was drunk as usual. In fact, she had figured that he wouldn't have even come to see her. He was usually so out of it that he couldn't even remember her name. Of course, he hadn't always been like this. He used to be the type of father who would come home from a long day at work with a smile on his face and then would still find the time to read his children a bedtime story. But that all changed the day her mother died. Both of Zoey's parents worked out in the lumber business. Her mother, Lacey, had been particularly adept and had been one of the best workers. But one day, a large oak tree that the workers were felling toppled in the wrong direction. It hit a support cable, and when the cable snapped, it whipped back with lightning quick speed and ferocity. Zoey had been at the site that day, observing the workers in order to write a report for school. She would never forget the way her mother died. The cable sliced through her mother's torso sending a spray of blood back across Zoey's face, flecks of blood mingling with her freckles and clotting in her long black hair. Then the top half of her mother tilted forward and toppled over, landing in the already widening pool of blood.

That was the most traumatic day of Zoey's life, but she knew she had to move on, or her family would die. Her father hadn't taken Lacey's death well and had turned from a loving father to a common drunkard. Zoey had grown to hate him as she and her brother Heath slowly wasted away. So, she had to drop out of school and go into the work force early in order to support them.

"Hey Zo," her father slurred, snapping her out of her memories, "make sure to say 'hi' to Lacey for me when you die." Then he stumbled out of the room only hitting the door frame once. Heath frowned disapprovingly at their father as he left. Heath was fourteen, only three years younger than Zoey, and he had been helping out around the house for a while now, too.

"Don't worry about him," Heath said sympathetically, "You'll do a great job."

"Thanks," Zoey replied, "I'll come back home to you." She pulled him into a tight embrace, a tear slipping down her cheek. But as she pulled away, she wiped away the tear and steeled her face.

"I'm ready to win."

**Angie Hurbert: District 10 Female**

Angie sat quietly, not wanting to bother anyone. She was sad that she had been reaped, but was going remain optimistic. She had grown up on a dairy farm with all of her family. By all of her family, she meant everyone: parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, etc. There were several different houses on the property, so everyone could live comfortably. Her family was considerably wealthy, but they accumulated their wealth through hard work. Angie helped around the farm every day, ensuring that the cattle were taken care of. As such, she was very tan, though still not very muscular. She was smaller than all of her cousins. She knew many people in the district had had bad lives, but she had never experienced anything traumatic. That is until she was reaped for the games.

She looked up as the door opened and her entire family piled in. Her parents were first followed by her sisters, Ruth and Teresa, Grandma and Grandpa Hurbert, Aunt Louise, Uncle James, Aunt Ginger, Uncle Lucus, her cousins, Janice, Katie, Kelly, Jessie, Milly, Lance, and Doug, and finally, her friends, Whitney and Becca. While Whitney and Becca were not related by blood, they lived on the farm with her family and were considered to be part of the group.

"I know—"

"Make sure—"

"One year it—"

"Here this might—"

"You'll do wonderfully—"

"Let me give you a—"

"I love you—"

"I think that you should—" Everyone was talking at once, offering advice, suggestions, and reassurances. Angie smiled at all of them and knew that even if she died, she had lived a wonderful life.

**Tari Flayne: District 9 Female**

Tari scowled at the escort as she walked in.

"Come on dear," the escort simpered, "visiting hours are over. It's time to go." Of course, Tari hadn't had anyone come to see her at all. The only person she was close to was Azure, but since he was a Victor and would be helping her during the games, he hadn't come to see her now.

Tari was quite beautiful with her long, platinum-blonde hair, and radiant smile. At least, that's what people told her when she was younger. Now, she never smiled, and since she was never around anyone else, she didn't know (or care) what other said about her. The reason for her perpetual dour behavior was her parents. They were not fit to be parents, and supposedly Tari was an accident. Both parents drank and were into drugs, some of which were even more addictive that morphling. They lost their temper quite often and took it out on her, scarring her body and leaving welts and bruises.

In fact, just yesterday, her parents were fighting over the depletion of their latest drug supply. Tari had walked in and heard her father say, "—know we can't get another shipment so soon. The Peacekeepers would notice."

"It's that girl," her mother retorted, "I just have to use it, so I can get away from her." Tari turned quietly, figuring it wise to vacate the premises, but she accidentally kicked the cat, which yowled. Her parents came into the room and saw her. Before she could run, her father leaped forward and grabbed her arm.

"Thought you could eavesdrop on us," he said putting his face so close to hers that she could see every blemish on his yellowed teeth.

"No," she stammered, "I was just getting a snack, and then I was going to visit Azure."

"Oh, so now you're stealing food," her mother jumped in, "Well maybe this will teach you a lesson." Her mother swung her fist and caught Tari in the stomach. She grunted in pain, and jerked away from her father, but he was still blocking the exit. She backed up against the table as both her parents approached. She fumbled for a weapon, but all that was there were the breakfast dishes. Her mother reached her first, and Tari brought down the glass bowl of oatmeal on her head with a loud crack. Blood mingled with the milk as the bowl shattered. Then turning to her father, who howled in rage, Tari rammed the fork into his upper thigh. He doubled over in pain, and she ran out of the house and as far away as possible.

The next day she volunteered for the Hunger Games in order to get away from her parents. She knew that whether she lived or died, that she would be getting away from them, and that was all she ever wanted.

**Watts Lewis**_**: **_**District 5 Male**

Watts watched his family depart. He knew that he would see them again. He wasn't arrogant. He was just confident, and he had good strategies. It was true; he had been through a lot. He had lived in Germany with his parents, his two brothers, and a sister. However, Europe was undergoing many wars and revolutions. For a while, his family had been safe as his father had many connections and a lot of wealth. Watts had known that he would join the family business one day, but until then he hadn't been allowed to know what exactly that business was.

However, the fighting eventually reached his home town, and it didn't matter how much money you had. No one could protect you. Their house was raided. Both body guards died, and his father sacrificed himself to let the rest of the family escape. Watts' mother found them safe passage out of Europe on a textile ship. It ended up in Panem, and so did his family. They had to start from scratch. They had lost everything: their friends, their wealth, and most of all, their father. Watts' older brother took over as the father figure. He would illegally kill animals and bring them to the market. But when this didn't bring in enough revenue, he started selling some of their treasures from Germany. While none of their possessions were of significant value, people in Panem were intrigued at the oddities and paid a fair price.

Watts knew that the money wouldn't last forever, and he planned on helping his brother out in a year or so, when he could get out of school. He was fairly street smart and cunning, and he always had a somewhat mischievous smile on his face. He and his two pals Brites and Albert were always messing around, and while Watts found it kind of childish, it was nice to escape the normally somber mood that permeated his home.

He opened his fist and revealed the paper his mother had given him. Unfolding it, he read, "Aufwiedersehen, mein Sohn. Ich liebe dich mehr jeder Tag. Viel Glück."

**(A/N) Thanks for reading my story. Please review and vote in the poll. It means a lot, and it will help me decide whose point of view to tell the story from. I appreciate all the support, and I'll see you next time.**


	7. Final Four Tributes

**(A/N) Hey everyone. So, I'm super excited. This is my final set of tributes. The next chapter will begin the games. I've got some great ideas and a fantastic co-author, so the story should be a lot of fun. Thanks to all of those who submitted tributes, and without further ado, here are the last ones.**

**Jack Temple: District 3 Male**

Jack glasses dangled precariously at the tip of his nose as he examined the intercom system in the elevator. He pushed the metal frames back up to their proper position, and began formulating ideas.

"You know," the escort said, "If you don't ever talk to anyone, it will be really hard to get sponsors."

"Sorry," Jack mumbled, turning away from the intercom, "I'll do my best." The escort harrumphed and turned away.

"Well, when you die, I won't be able to say I was surprised." But Jack was already lost in his thoughts again. He hadn't had any visitors today, and he hadn't expected to. His parents had died in an accident when he was quite young, and his adoptive parents despised him. He knew for a fact that the only reason they kept him around was because they hoped his inventions would make him famous, and they hoped to cash in on the profits. Of course, if he ever did get money, he would never share it with them. They had made his life miserable.

When he was younger, he would always try and get away. He would try to go hang out with friends rather than at home, but his step parents made sure that didn't last long. They would invite his friends over for dinner, and then they would alienate them to the point where they would never talk to Jack again out of fear, embarrassment, or anger. His only companions now were his robots and his loving dog, Ralph.

Ralph was his only reason for concern at this point. Jack knew that he would most likely die in the games, and while he didn't volunteer to be the tribute, it was a nice escape option from his past life. But, he was afraid that after he left, his step parents would get rid of Ralph. Ralph would starve to death without an owner, and everybody in the district was poor enough that they wouldn't take him in. Nobody needed another mouth to feed.

However, if Jack had any chance of winning, he would have to completely focus on the games. So, even as the escort guided him off the elevator, outside, and onto the train, he was formulating traps that he could use in all of the different possible arenas.

**Levin Fulsom: District 6 Male**

Levin smirked as he thought of the reaping earlier that morning. The tension was thick in the air, and after the female tribute, Jami, was chosen, he could visibly see the girls relax, and the boys tense up even more as it was their turn to send someone to the games. Of course, they had no need to worry. Levin knew that he would be the one entering the games. He didn't volunteer, but the Capitol forced him. He knew for a fact that every slip of paper in the bowl had been replaced with his name, so there was no way he was escaping this reaping, since no one ever volunteered in district six.

The reason he was forced to enter the games really began five years ago. He had lived in a wealthier family, and so they could afford a little bit of leisure time. So, once a year the family went camping. He had been twelve, and he was put in charge of putting out the fire. He thought he had done a sufficient job of quenching the flames, but after he went to bed, some of the hot grease had ignited the embers, and soon the fire was out of control. His entire family had been killed after a burning tree fell on their tent. He was the only one outside, so he survived. However, the fire raged on furiously until it had consumed a fourth of the district and had moved on to devour a good chunk of district seven's forests. Finally, using hovercrafts, the peacekeepers were able to put it out, but not before many lives were ruined.

Since he had been a minor, the government didn't kill him, but they did place him in jail for life. He had tried to explain that it had been an accident, but it didn't make a difference. The Capitol hadn't released his name to the public in hopes of preventing riots, but it tended to be common knowledge in the district. As such, the Capitol had decided to take further measures. They were going to force him into the games. One of the guards he had grown close to had told him two months ago. So, he began training as hard as he could. He had already been going to the gym every day, and he was a very muscular seventeen year old. But now, he worked out even harder. He also knew how to defend himself, as many of the inmates had picked on him over the years. They hated him for the fire. It was known as "The Great Fire", and no family had escaped feeling its effects.

Levin had an excellent poker face as he had taken up gambling while confined his whole life, so he knew he could bluff his way out of many situations. However, he wasn't going to use all of these skills to save himself. He had nothing to live for. His family was dead, his friends had turned on him, and the district hated him. He wanted a chance to redeem himself, and so he had decided to protect his district partner, Jami. He figured if he sacrificed himself for her, the district might forgive him, and so that's what he would do.

**Samson Carlson: District 10 Male**

Samson smiled when his friends walked in the door. Madi, his girlfriend entered first, followed by Mac, his best friend, and then Rye, Peyton, and Duncan. Madi rushed up and flung her arms around him.

"I can't believe you have to go," she sobbed, "This was your last year. I never imagined—" She stopped unable to speak anymore.

"It'll be fine," he assured her, "I know my strategy, and I have a good shot at winning."

"Yeah, and then you can get that farm that you've always wanted to share with your dream girl," Mac smirked. It was true. Samson had always wanted his own farm. His wants were very simple, and yet they seemed so hard to achieve. All he ever wanted was to be financially stable on his own farm, and he wanted to share that with a family. They would live a quiet, yet happy life. That had seemed impossible before, but because of the games, he might have a chance. He would never have volunteered, but since he was going, he might as well make the best of it.

"Promise me you'll come back," Madi whispered.

"I won't make a promise that I don't know if I can keep. Anything can happen in the games, so I can't be one hundred percent positive. However, I will promise you that I will do everything within my power to return home." Madi smiled sadly and reached up, unclasping the hand-crafted necklace he had given to her for her last birthday. She pulled it off and handed it to him.

"Take this, so you'll always remember me," she pleaded. He took the necklace and clenched it in his fist.

"I'll keep this with me at all times."

"Thank you," she said, and then she leaned up and kissed him. Rye, Peyton, and Duncan, who had been unusually quiet, began cheering.

"You go Samson."

"You're the man." Samson turned to look at all of his friends and said, "Don't count me out of these games. Watch closely, and you'll find that I have a few tricks up my sleeve." And just as the peacekeeper came into the room to call time, he picked up Madi and kissed her one last time.

**Kirby Danton****: District 9 Male**

Kirby left the waiting room and followed the escort to the train. He was really depressed. No one had come to visit him before he left to his almost certain doom. His mother had gone into labor that morning, and so all of his family had gone to see her. He knew they hadn't meant to be rude, and that they just wanted to make sure she was okay, so he tried to let it go. But then, none of his friends had shown up. He could have sworn that Virgil, Farnon, and Galeil would have shown up, and his girlfriend Samantha would have wanted to see him for sure. He was usually quite optimistic, but today was just not his day.

He got on the train and slumped into the reclining chair. Looking around the room, he had to grudgingly admit to himself that this was an incredibly luxurious train, but he was still quite disappointed. Finally, his typically chipper attitude won over, and he began to explore the cars. About an hour into the ride, he finally made it to his bedroom. When he turned on the light, four figures burst into view. Virgil, Samantha, Galeil, and Farnon were clapping and cheering. Kirby was speechless. His friends were an adventurous bunch, but he would have never expected them to pull this off.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to sound angry, but coming across quite pleased.

"We wanted to do something special for the Victor of the 177th Hunger Games," Samantha said. She walked over and gave him hug, but then she gasped.

"What?" he asked. Stepping back, she pointed towards the door. Kirby turned around and saw five peacekeepers standing in the doorway.

"Stowaways, huh," one of them said, "We'll just have to see what President Waldvogel has to say about that." He radioed someone using his walkie-talkie and waited for a reply. When it came, he looked up grimly at the teens.

"Who are you?" he asked the four friends.

"We're his friends," Virgil said nervously, "We just wanted to surprise Kirby."

"And I'm his girlfriend," Samantha said defiantly. The guard radioed again, and after receiving the response, he said, "Unfortunately, you four made a horrible mistake." He motioned to the other guards, and they rushed into the room. Two grabbed Samantha and Kirby restraining them as they fought to escape.

"I'm sure we can—" Farnon was cut off as a guard pushed back his head, forced open his mouth, and cut out his tongue. Samantha screamed and kicked the guard that was holding her as Farnon gaped, and blood poured out of his mouth. Quickly, Virgil and Galeil met the same fate. Kirby was in shock.

"You three will be avoxes," the guard said to Virgil, Farnon, and Galeil, "You can serve the new tributes." Turning back to Kirby and Samantha, who was now sobbing, he said, "And Samantha, President Waldvogel thinks it would be tragically romantic if you entered the games as well. This year district nine will have three tributes. Maybe the odds will be in your favor." Kirby just gaped in horror.

**(A/N) Thanks for reading. Please vote in the poll and review. The next chapter will begin the games, but I won't publish it for a while. As I said in my last chapter, I will be out of town June 26-July 30, so I can't write for a while. I hope you enjoyed the final tributes as much as I did, and I look forward to the next chapter.**


End file.
